BERTHOUD — Officials from across the region gathered Thursday at a parking lot next to Interstate 25 to celebrate the cooperative effort to add a lane for traffic on what a stretch known as "Berthoud Hill."

On that hill south of the Berthoud exit on I-25, southbound traffic can often get backed up as semi-tractors and trailers struggle to climb it. If a slow truck tries to pass a slower one, the effect on traffic can be felt for miles — and for a long period if the slowdowns result in a fender-bender accident.

Key to the construction project is money coming from local taxes, according to speakers at the construction celebration.

The overall project will cost about $10.3 million to build what is described as a "temporary lane" on the southbound segment of the highway. Of that, $3 million is coming from sources in Northern Colorado, through a regional organzation called the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The construction of the 3.5-mile-long extra lane will start at Colo. 56 (the Berthoud exit) to south of Weld County Road 38, and it will include resurfacing of the northbound and southbound lanes as well as bridge widening at Valley Road, according to Colorado Department of Transportation officials.

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Travelers can expect to see some shoulder closures during the construction work from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Resurfacing of the travel lanes will take place at night, with single-lane closures for northbound and southbound traffic 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., according to CDOT.

Speed limits in the work zone will be set at 65 mph, and officials warn drivers to exercise caution throughout the project.

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